On the Path to Forgiveness
by Wolves silver wind
Summary: Before the S-Class exams, Fairy Tail kicks Natsu out. When they leave to Tenrou Island and are titled as 'dead', Natsu comes back and helps out his old guild. Now that everyone's back, they meet the new Natsu, but what will happen next? Will Natsu be allowed back into the guild? Would he even want to return? Will you even read this? Will I stop asking these questions? *Ch. 5-take 2
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Goodbye for now, Fairy Tail...**

 **A/N: Well, here you have it! Chapter one for** _ **On the Path to Forgiveness**_ **! You voted on it! This begins before the S-Class trials. Enjoy! *and sorry if I don't live up to your expectations***

It seems like it's a normal day. The sun is shining, there are whisps of clouds drifting across the pale blue sky, and the sound of bird song drifts with the breeze. A beautiful day. Fairy Tail is somewhat calm, as their most destructive mage and his team are out on another mission to pay for Lucy's forever looming rent. Yep, just another day.

Everyone's just going about their day in the Fairy Tail guild hall, the soft hum of conversations filling the air as people talk about missions they recently completed and their daily lives. All is semi-normal until the doors are kicked open, some fire also spilling inside with it. There stands Team Natsu, but something is wrong, something is _terribly_ wrong. Natu's face is screwed up in worry, terror and guilt. Erza holds a face of rage and worry alongside Gray. Happy floats above them wearing an unreadable expression, a few scorch marks littering his body, and that's when the entire guild realizes something: all of team Natsu-bar Natsu-have burn marks all over their bodies. Erza races into the guild hall, towards the infirmary. Carrying...

"Lucy!"

"What happened!?"

"Lu-chan!?"

"Bunny girl?"

"Are you guys okay?!" People shout out. She looks worse by far. Ash covering her body alongside many burns. eyes closed, breaths ragged, a thin stream of dry blood going from her mouth as well as many other places. Clothes torn up and stained black. Wendy races towards the infirmary after Erza, while the Master shakes himself out of his faze.

"Jet!" The other man turns to Makarov, eyes filled with confusion. "Go get Porlyusica!" The speed mage nods before bolting out the door, past the frozen bodies of Gray and Natsu. After Jet passes Natsu does the mage blink a few times, knocked out of his daze of sorts, before tears prick his eyes. He shakes his head at first, but a thin stream of the watery substance cascades down his cheek. He covers his eyes with his arm before turning on his heel and bolting out the door. Unlike the guild expects, neither Happy nor Gray follow after him.

"You two, my office, now." Makarov gives no room for argument as he heads up the stairs, his two 'children' (more of a grandfather for Happy) following in a slow pace. Walking into his office, he turns on the lacrima so no one will be able to hear their conversation. "Tell me what happened."

 **-small time skip-**

Makarov had to contain himself after hearing the story. Dissmissing the two, he stays with his thoughts, trying to find a logical explanation. But it was impossible. He clenches his fists, thinking back to their retelling of the event.

 _"Everything was going smoothly," Gray says, clenching his fists,"we were winning against the dark guild. Happy was watching over-head, Erza was fighting one side, I had the other, and Lucy and Natsu were fighting together, side-by-side. But-I don't know exactly what happened, Lucy might-but suddenly Natsu... exploded. Flames were everywhere, and everyone in the area was hit. It was extremely hot,and everything caught on fire. Happy tried to fly higher but his wing was caught and he fell down. I covered myself in ice, and caught him, running away from the fire. Erza re-quiped into her 'Flame Empress armor' and went in. She dragged Lucy out in worse state then you saw her in-we all looked worse than we do now. She said that Natsu was too hot for her to get to. When the fire eventually died down, Natsu was unconscious, not a single scratch on him. We then went to the hospital, got healed up a bit, that's where Natsu woke up, but we didn't talk with him. We ran from there to here today. But something I have to tell you is that some of the dark mages we were fighting against, they-they're... Dead._

 _Natsu killed them."_

It was a rule of Fairy tail: no killing. No exceptions. And although Natsu sometimes bordered that when beating his opponents to a pulp-and never without a valid reason-he never _killed_ , even if others may think they might deserve it. Natsu just wasn't a killer. His hands had always been clean. Makarov knew what he had to do. He couldn't let this slide. And although the mere thought made a hole in his heart, he had to do it. And with a heavy heart, he exited his office and headed into the main guild hall.

He holds his hands behind his back and walks through the silent room, all eyes on him as he exits the building, ignoring all questions, one goal in mind: find Natsu. It doesn't take too long, as the old man knows Natsu's regular places; under the large tree in the park, Lucy's house, his home, the river side, and the grave he made for Lisanna.

He goes to the grave first, hearing the sobs, which pulls at the poor old mans heart. The creator of these heart-wrenching cries never sheds a single tear. And then his eyes catch sight of the pinkette.

Natsu sits there, curled in on himself, pulling at his pink-arguably salmon-locks. Shoulders shaking, tears staining the grass below him, he sits on the hill beside the grave. Mumbling incoherent words, although Makarov can guess just what the teen is saying. He walks up almost silently, before finally speaking up.

"Natsu." He begins, and the pinkette spins around in an instant to look at him. Hands holding him up as he's almost eye-level to the small man. Eyes red and puffy, cheeks flushed and chaffed, tears still in the corners of his eyes. The fire mage then looks away from the old man, turning himself fully around he sits with his legs crossed. "Do you know what you have done?" He says, the pinkette wipes his eyes with the palm of his hand, sniffles for a moment, before opening his mouth.

"I endangered my comrades and... I almost k-killed Lucy..." At this Makarov narrows his eyes for a moment, _Gray said they didn't talk to Natsu after he woke up, but to not tell him that he had killed the mages during his outburst..._ The old man closes his eyes for a moment before reciting what he had been told by Gray.

"You hurt your comrades; family. Almost killed Lucy with your outburst. And... you killed the mages from the dark guild you were fighting." Natsu's eyes widen to an un-measurable size as his head shoots up to look his guild master in the eye.

"I... I... I _killed_ them?" He says in a hushed whisper, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head in misery.

"You know what I have to do then, right?" The old man chokes out, keeping a calm face as he goes on. Natsu bites his lip, bringing the trembling in his body down as low as he can, which is to a small shake. The pinkette nods slowly, keeping his eyes trained on the ground. "Natsu..." Trembling as hard as his 'son' is, Makarov swipes his hand horizontally in front of him. "You are hereby excommunicated from this guild." Natsu knew it was coming, he knew it after Gramps had told him he had killed those mages.

 _This is probably how Laxus felt..._ Natsu thinks, wearing a sad smile, fighting back the tears in his eyes. Standing up, he rubs them away and looks down into the old mans eyes, not missing the slight shine in them.

"I understand." He says with a voice sore from crying, shaking slightly. Standing tall he spins on his heel, stopping just outside the clearing to say his final words as a Fairy Tail mage as the mark on his shoulder begins to disappear into golden flecks. "Take care of Happy for me, and all of Fairy Tail. You don't go dying anytime soon, either. You old man... Thanks, for everything..." He finishes, walking away as Makarov is brought to tears.

 _First my grandson, and now one of my favorite children? Just why was this happening?_ The old man looks out at the image Natsu was just gracing himself with. It was peaceful, serene, beautiful. Birds making the perfect noises to match the scene, crickets chirping, the wind a soft, gentle breeze. Wiping away his tear, and looking back to where Natsu disappeared through, the guild master gives a sad smile.

"Goodbye, Natsu." He says, walking back to the guild.

Needless to say, his announcement was met with an uproar of angry mages, all saying that he was wrong to do that. Erza is quick to walk out and silence them with a glare, stating that Lucy needed to rest. No one had the guts to stand up to her.

Lucy had healed in time for the S-Class trials, and decided to be a partner for Cana to help her achieve her goal. And so, the people who go to Tenroujima are:

Mirajane, Erza, Gildarts and Makarov

1\. Cana and Lucy

2\. Elfman and Evergreen

3\. Freed and Bixslow

4\. Gray and Loke

5\. Juvia and Lisanna

6\. Levy and Gajeel

7\. Mest and Wendy

8\. Warren and Max

The exams go by smoothly at first: Gildarts letting Gray and Loke pass after a short battle, Erza annihilating Juvia and Lisanna, Elfman and Evergreen getting past Mirajane, Cana and Lucy beating Freed and Bixslow, and Warren and Max beating Mest and Wendy. While a now irritated Gajeel with a blessed Levy go through the safe route.

Afterwards, the survivors (everyone not including Juvia, Freed, Mest and all of their partners) are tasked with finding the Firsts grave. Lucy being the only one to solve the problem, while everyone else seems to just run around the island. Elfman and Evergreen meeting up with a man who kills everything around him, saved as he runs back into the forest before another outburst.

And then, in the middle of the exams, Grimoire Heart attacks. The battles start up and are waged all over the island. The Fairy Tail members temporarily forgetting about the S-Class trails as they battle with one of the strongest Dark Guilds from the Balam Alliance.

The Fairy Island soon becomes akin to a living hell. But somehow, like always, Fairy Tail pulls through. With the help of the newly-arrived three exceeds and the help from their old guild member; Laxus Dreyar. Somehow defeating the dark mages.

But victory is celebrated too early as Acnologia, the dragon of apocalypse, arrives. Attacking the island. The mages battle, but even if they were at full strength they wouldn't have won.

The beast flies up, and using their strong bonds, the mages try to save themselves from the dragons breath attack.

After that, everything goes black. And will stay that way for another seven years.

 **Somewhere in some place at some time**

 **(so specific, I know)**

"I wonder how everyone's doing..." a cloaked figure asks, he had been travelling for about a week and a half. The person turns to look above the trees and to the horizon. "They should be starting the S-class trails by now... I wonder if I would've been in them..."

 **-A diff. place at a diff. time-**

"What do you mean the island was destroyed by Acnologia!? Are they all-they can't be dead!" Fairy Tail cries out, and the members of the Magic Council leave them to mourn for the loss of their most powerful members.

They stay in a state of depression for sometime, not keeping track of the days as they pass. No one going on jobs, the guild just falling apart so easily. Days turn into weeks, weeks soon turn into months. And after four months of mourning, the doors creak open, and a cloaked figure steps inside.

All of Fairy Tail looks over, no one in the mood to interact with the person. But Macao takes it upon himself to greet them and see what's up.

"Hello." He waves from his spot at the bar. The cloaked man turns towards him. All the adults reek of alcohol, everyone smells like tears and despair.

"Wow." They say, looking this way and that, scanning the guild. "I mean, I know the loss was hard, but it's been almost five months. I remember Fairy Tail being stronger than this! No missions, no nothing! I have to say it's now just a shell of its former glory-"

"If all you came here to do was point out how wasted and broken we are, then don't waste your breath and leave!" Wakaba yells at the boy, the rest of the guild voicing their agreement.

"Well, that's not what I came here for..." The figure sighs.

"Stop giving us your pity. You don't know what it's like!" Bisca cries out, shoving her face into her partners shoulder as her tears continue to stream down her face. This seems to create a chain of events in the guild as many other members join the green haired mage in the action. The smell of tears stronger than before.

"I actually _do_ know what it's like." The man takes off his cloak to reveal a head of pink hair. "And I didn't come to rub the loss in your face. I came to help."

"Natsu!"

"Natsu?"

"You aren't supposed to be here!" Some people cry out in relief, others in hate, confusion, distrust, happiness, you name it. The teen just stands there and soaks it all in, once the comments die down he speaks up again.

"I'm not here to join, none of you have the power to do that." _And I don't deserve it..._ "But, I won't let Fairy Tail fall until we're just holed up in some old shack, with half the members we have now."

"And why would you want to help us?" Natsu looks down at the ground at this comment, everything silent to the point where you can hear the slightest shift on creaky floorboards. Bent and twisted from the many in-guild brawls. He then looks up, a small spark of determination in his eyes.

"Because I want to make it up to not only you, but the members who are gone." Everyone can hear the unspoken words: _To my team._ "And so, the only way I can think of doing that, is by making sure this place remains as Fairy Tail is supposed to."

"Natsu, you aren't supposed to step foot in this hall." Macao states, eyes covered by a shadow. The boy looks down again, knowing the older mage is right. He turns on his heel, facing the door again, but before he leaves he speaks up.

"I may leave now, but I promise you this," he turns his head and everyone can see his lovable grin,"I'll be back, and I'll give you a hand even if you want me gone for good. I'll always be here for you; for Fairy Tail."

 **A/N: Aaaaaand that's a wrap! First chapter up! So, is it what you expected? I have to admit, I didn't want to make Natsu a murderer, but I thought that if he just hurt his team (obviously unintentionally) that he wasn't gonna get kicked out. I thought it would just make him more distant to everybody, but he'd stay, so I had to kick it up a notch, and killing was where I decided to go. So, Natsu'll be there for Fairy Tail, huh... I won't show all the seven years after this, I'll jump right into after the time-skip because I love to do that. Sorry if you don't like it, but I think it'd be better to just show the key parts in flashbacks or telling stories. Do tell if you have ideas for this story! Thanks for reading! Until next time, see ya!**

 **P.S. To those who voted-or didn't vote-on this story. It will interfere with how long it'll take me to update my other stories. So if I get enough PM's or reviews saying they'd rather my priorities be with my other FanFic, then I'll drop this one and pick it back up when I'm done with _7-Years with a Pink Haired Kid_. If I don't, then I'll keep going with this one at the same time.**

 ***Sorry for putting it up so late!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

 **A/N: Look what's up! That's right, chapter two! Here ya go, enjoy! Also, since I always get asked about pairings, for this story imma leave it up to you. Request pairings, and next chapter I'll give the pairings I may use and let you vote. I apologize in advance if I don't use yours. Right now I'm thinking a Natsu x Ultear, but you never knooowww~**

 **Year x791**

"We don't even know if they'll be there, or if they're even alive!" Wakaba says, looking up from the map to slightly glare at Bisca and Alzack. But the glare didn't stay as he watched them simply playing with their daughter. Looking back at the map he then looks up to the clear waters. "It should be here..." The married couple walk up and look at the map before scanning the waters, Bisca walking back to entertain their child as Alzack helps Wakaba.

"After seven years, it wouldn't be hard to believe that Blue Pegasus' readings to be wrong." He comments, having already given up on them long ago. But then again, with the bet in place...

"Who's that?" Bisca speaks up, and the three look out to see a girl, wearing a white dress, golden hair as long as it with small angel wings on her head. She then raises her hands, and the water begins to rock the boat back and forth as a large, circular item comes up from the sea. And, in a circular barrier with the Fairy Tail symbol on it, they see the 'destroyed' island.

"Look!" Asuka points. "Is that Tenroullama?"

"It's Tenroujima..." Alzack face-palms and Bisca laughs as her husband tries to get their daughter to say it right, but to no avail.

"Gimme a second..." Wakaba speaks up, bringing the boat to the shore before hoping off and tying up up to a nearby tree.

"There she is!" Alzack points, but stays to help his wife and daughter off the boat.

"Go on, after her!" Bisca orders her husband. "I've got Asuka." Nodding, the gun mage runs after the girl, weaving in and out of trees, under low branches and hopping over even lower ones. Until he finds a small landslide, seeing a tuff of blond hair through the rubble. Panting and trembling at the sight, he waits for Wakaba and Bisca to come, Asuka looking confused as she sits in her mothers arms.

"Are they..." Bisca doesn't finish, eyes filled with worry, and Alzack slides down the dirt, pulling Lucy from where she was buried. She takes in a gasp of air, and as she does a shocked Alzack drops her on her back, back onto the ground. Tears prick their eyes at the sight. They're ALIVE!

"Ouchie..." She moans, stretching for a moment before cracking her eyes open. "Alzack... Am I dreaming?" She then snaps her eyes open as a small voice squeaks.

"Nope!"

"WHO'S SHE!?" Lucy jumps back, pointing at the small child with wide eyes.

"This is our daughter." Bisca explains, coming up beside Alzack, eye shining with tears of happiness. "Her name's Asuka." Lucy takes a moment, shaking her head and slapping her hands on her cheeks a few times.

"No. nononononono. What is happening! You look older, all of you!" She screams out.

"Lucy, shut-it. Ugh, I feel like I have a minor hangover..." Cana turns in her 'sleep' and Lucy screams at her.

"CANA! Wake up! Now!" The card mage takes her head from the dirt and sees the two side-by-side holding the young girl. She then gives a small, tired smile and a tumbs-up.

"Good for you two, finally together." At this the two gun mages blush slightly, and Cana slams her face back into her pillow... of dirt.

"CANA! What the heck..." She sighs, turning back to the three mages. "What's going on?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"Don't know... what?"

"You guys have been sealed for seven years here on Tenrou island." Lucy's jaw drops as Wakaba informs her of this, and she zombie-walks over to sleeping Gray, forcing him awake.

"Wha-Lucy? What's up?" She just points to the three 'older' mages, before going falling onto her back, eyes swirling.

"S-seven years... No way..."

"What happened...?" Gray holds his head, shaking it for a moment. "Acnologia attacked... Where's everyone else?" He looks up and notices Bisca and Asuka, doing exactly what Lucy did; leaping the the air with wide, confused eyes, already only in his boxers. "WHAT THE HELL!?"

"Everyone else is right here." The girl that was floating above the water motions to an area on the ground, everyone seeing the buried mages.

"Who are you?" Cana asks, having finally stood up. Everyone gets to work waking up the others as the girl continues.

"My name is Mavis." she smiles at the groggy, but very much alive, mages. "Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis Vermillion."

"WHAAAT!?" They screech, everyone who had just woken up then turns to see Bisca and Alzack with little Asuka and scream out again; "WHEN!? HOW?!" Mavis just watches their exchange before giggling slightly.

"I can explain." This gets everyone's attention as she begins. "Back then I took all of your bonds and strength. And converted it all into magical power. All of your thoughts allowed one of the three great fairy magics; Fairy Sphere, to be activated. An absolute defense magic. However... everyone was sealed in a frozen state. Since its been released, seven years have passed."

"Well now, the First protected us..." Makarov says with tears in his eyes.

"No, I'm just an ethereal body, since I converted everyone's feelings into magical energy, I gave it my all. Unwavering faith and resilient bonds will bring even miracles to your side." She floats up, and before dissappearing says;"It's become a wonderful guild, third." A golden light flashes and she vanishes, leaving the stunned guild members.

"S-seven years..." They all seem a bit dazed for a moment, wondering what they missed.

"So, the child's yours, huh?" Laxus walks up to the couple, which makes them jump for a moment before nodding. "Finally," he sighs," _everyone_ was waiting for it to happen."

"So, you got married... and had a child..." Erza repeats, looking at the couple, who give a small, confused nod. "And I _missed it?!_ " She crosses her arms, angered by the fact that she had missed their wedding. "I demand to see the pictures."

"How about we get home first, we haven't been there in seven years." Gray says, guiding his teammate to the boat, everyone else following. "So, is it just you two?"

"Two! TWO!? It's THREE!" Wakaba yells past his pipe.

"Oh, well you weren't talking so..."

"Is it just you _two_... Shoulda left 'em... leave them, keep my money... Damn bet..." Wakaba mumbles, trudging his way back to the boat. And then they're off! Back to Magnolia! Back to Fairy Tail! But a few wizards look at Wakaba in confusion, wondering just what this bet is.

...But the Dragon Slayers aren't too happy to ride a boat home...

After the _horrible, miserable, no-good, sickening-_ Lets get out of Gajeel's mind for a moment... After the boat ride, they dock in Magnolia, and hop out.

"This way." Wakaba leads, and they follow him down the street towards the guild hall. They see it first, and it looks exactly the same, but it's in a more open space. And once they get onto the grounds, they see why.

The building is surrounded by and small open field. Out front, a beautiful fountain that holds three fairies, creating the shape of a triangle, spilling out water from vases they are holding in front of them. In the middle, raised above, is the Fairy Tail symbol, engraved on the top it says: _In Memory of Those We Lost_. And below, carved into the stone, are all of their names. In the field, there are picnic tables, and some open spots surrounded by runes.

"You can't see it," begins Alzack,"but behind the building there is a fighting arena of sorts. It's just larger than these smaller battle spots. You know, for more high-scale attacks." They are speechless on the change in the guild.

"Oh, and to make sure people don't completely destroy the guild with magic, there's one in there, too." Bisca says. "So if you wanna just start up a brawl, that's... _kinda_ okay, but when you bring magic into it you're forced into the barrier and ta-da! Just fight it out there!"

"You have _no_ idea how much money that saves." Wakaba says, and Makarov nods his head vigorously.

"I can imagine." The old man replies. As they get to the doors, Gray decides he wants a grand entrance and kicks them open inward, screaming out:

"We're back!" It's silent at first, and they see many new faces inside. But as everyone looks to see what the commotion is, the people that were here seven years ago burst into tears.

"You're back!"

"You're alive!" They scream out, tackling everyone into a giant hug. They take their time with the reunion. Macao walks up to Makarov and explains how _he_ became the fourth guild master.

"Well, you have done a _great_ job, fourth." Makarov nods, even _he_ didn't think to put barriers around to ensure non-destructive fights.

"Um... I wouldn't say it all-actually, _any_ of it was me." He puts his hand behind his head, wearing a sheepish smile.

"What do you mean?"

"We had some... help. This person came up with the ideas, and saved the guild."

"Hm?" Laxus intrudes, putting himself into the conversation. "Then who did it, if not you?"

"Well, Macao did do _some_ things." Wakaba says, holding up his hand and measuring maybe an inch between his forefinger and thumb. "But only a little bit."

"Well, I can't argue against that because it was more-" He stops talking for a moment, the sound of arguing heard from outside.

"That mission was _so hard!_ " A male voice complains.

"Yeah! It was so SS-Class!" Another one joins in.

"Oh, shut-up!" A third growls. "You chose it, and you knew that it'd be hard!"

"But it was harder than we thought~!" They both whine, you can practically sense the third voice grinding their teeth.

"Uh-oh, Jet and Droy are whining about their mission again." Someone unknown to the group in the guild, speaks up.

"Jet and Droy?" Levy jumps at this, a small smile on her face. "That's right, I haven't seen them yet..."

"I'm glad to see you guys are back," Macao says, rounding them up away from the path of the doors. "But you may wanna stand back." The Tenrou group then notices no one is standing in the area between the door to the wall opposite to it. Strange... Before anyone can speak up, the doors which have _just_ closed are thrown open, the third voice yelling as they are.

"Shut UP!" And two shadowed figure fly into the guild, hitting the back wall before sliding down it knocked out. The third figure is standing in the doorway, one foot extended as if they had kicked the other two inside.

"What..." Lucy looks, mouth agape as their eyes adjust to the bright light, first noticing the persons _pink_ hair.

"The..." Erza continues, seeing the persons onyx eyes filled with a level of annoyance.

"Hell?" Gray finishes, noticing the black-clad man. Wearing cropped sweats, an open jacket with a hood that goes down to his feet with a dark red trim, and a black muscle shirt beneath it all. A familiar white scaled scarf secured around their waist, looking like a belt of sorts.

"How'd it go?" Macao asks, not shocked by the events that had just passed.

"How do you _think_ it went." The large male-roughly Laxus' size and stature-cards his fingers through his hair, before going to the opposite side of the room to the bar. "Can I have a fire whiskey, please?"

"Of course, coming right up, Natsu-sama." The bar girl, with short purple hair, says with a smile, attriving the order,

"NA-?!" Macao slaps his hand on Gray's mouth, wearing a mischevious smile, taking his hand away slowly.

"I told you, just Natsu is fine..." The pinkette sighs. Once Natsu got the whiskey, he turns around to look at Macao, as if preparing to speak. He freezes, seeing the people who stand beside the older man, eyes growing wider by the second. He drops the glass in his hand and it shatters upon touching the ground, its contents spilling everywhere. He doesn't even bother with the fire, and another member tosses their water on it to take care of it. "Mina..." Nobody moves. But suddenly a smile-albeit it looks a bit awkward-grows on Natsu's face. "ALRIGHT!" His voice booms across the hall. "Y'ALL OWE ME! PAY UP!" Moans fill the room as people begin to dig into their pockets and wallets, some people comically crying and banging their heads on the tables. Even Macao and Wakaba go through their money, looking for an unseen amount.

"What's going on?"

"That can wait." Erza cuts Gajeels train of thought of, and stomps towards Natsu, Makarov and the rest of her team behind her. Laxus tailing them from behind, amused and confused about the present situation. "What are you doing here, Natsu?"

"Why _wouldn't_ he be here?" Laxus can't help but speak up, coming up beside the red head.

"Natsu was kicked out of the guild, much like you were." Makarov explains, walking past Erza to futher analyze the boy-turned-man. "So, why are you back?"

"Well," he gives a sheepish grin, but before he can continue he's cut off by Laxus.

"Wait just a minute." The lighting mage speaks up yet again. "Of all people to get kicked out after me, Natsu was the next one. I mean, _Natsu?_ He was my last guess." Natsu sighs at this and crosses his arms.

"Well, it's true. And I am still excommunicated from the guild." He states.

"Wha-then why were you out on a mission with Jet and Droy?" Lucy asks, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"I came to Fairy Tail about... six months after you guys 'died', and decided to help out to... make it up to you guys. But, since you're back, I'll be making my leave. I'm not needed here anymo-" He didn't even get to finish his sentence as he's tackled by two smaller bodies, they hit his legs and make him fall over, hitting the ground not-so softly.

"But Naatsu! You promised you'd stay for at _least_ another month and keep training me!" Romeo, one of the people to tackle him, complains.

"And you promised _me_ that you'd give me a piggy back ride when I got back!" Asuka uses a promise not as valuable at the moment, well, it's valuable to her.

"Yeah, you can't leave yet, Natsu. You won the bet, and not everyone has the money for it." The barmaid points out. "You have to stay until everyone comes up with the money." The entire guild-minus the Tenrou group-was now surrounding him. Feeding him reasons that he should stay longer.

"You said we could spar-"

"You promised to teach me re-quip-"

"Didn't you tell me you had another thing you wanted to show me-" Things went along these lines. Natsu, forced to sit and hear all of the excuses, closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. Asuka, sitting beside him, notices this and is quick to race out to join the Tenrou group.

"What's wrong, sweety?" Lucy asks, putting her hands on her knees and bending over so she's closer to the girls eye-level.

"Uncle Natsu is gonna blow." The girl states, turning back to the unaware mages.

"He's gonna blow...?" Just as she finishes asking the question, Natsu shoots up, his pink hair visible above the crowd. He has his hands on his hips and a twitch in his brow.

"ENOUGH!" He orders, immediately all the mages back up. some even scurrying away. "I told you this day would come, so quit it!" He belows. "You guys don't need me anymore, and the only reason I've stayed for so long is because I wasn't positive on that. I _know_ I could've left a few years back, and now it's time for me to do so! They're back-" he points to the small group huddled in the corner,"so you don't need me. I'm not even a _member_ of this guild, for petes sake!" He then sighs, running his hand through his hair again and scanning the crowds saddened expressions. "Three months." He states, everyone looking confused at this. "I'll stay for three more months. Deal?" Everyone explodes at that, cheering that they had won against his iron will. Which is a near impossible feat. But with Fairy Tail, anything's possible.

The group of returned members just watch in total confusion at what's happening. Laxus heads over to talk to Natsu, and everyone else joins in the festives of their return _and_ Natsu's decision to stay. Although the Natsu part is mostly celebrated by the people who had stayed those seven years.

 **A/N: So, he decides to stay for three more months, but he seems pretty eager to leave. And what does Laxus want with Natsu? Oh, the questions. Thank you for reading! Please review, tell me things you might want to happen, and even if you don't like it so far. Til next time, see ya!**

 **So, I decided that since I read sooo many manga's and FanFic's and stuff *because as some people say, I have no life outside of it, unless you include Oreo's and apples*, at the end of each chapter, I'll recommend something, either a FanFic or anime/manga. For this chapter I'll recommend the manga** _ **Shaman King**_ **, which I know I enjoyed. Really, although I first I didn't know what to think about it.**

 ***If you have any questions on it, or any future recommendations, just PM me and I'll gladly answer any questions... I know the answer to.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: What the Hell did we Miss?!**

Up on the roof of the guild, two large and powerful dragon slayers lay side-by-side. An uncomfortable silence drifting over them, and the fire dragon slayer is the first to speak up.

"So, what did you want?" Laxus looks towards the formally-younger dragon slayer, analyzing everything that had changed about him. He held himself differently, the air around him showing his newfound strength and superiority. Yet in the guild hall, it was lower, more friendly. He obviously doesn't hold himself too high down there.

"Well, I wanted to know why you got kicked out, mainly." He states, and he can feel Natsu stiffen slightly beside him.

"... On a mission with my old team seven years ago, we were fighting a dark guild." He begins, and as Laxus sees him pause and crease his brows in semi-frustration, he realizes that the pinkette had probably never told this story, if he had he'd only done it once or twice. "Hm... I don't remember exactly." Natsu admits, looking up into the sky which is fading out into oranges and reds, painting the perfect sunset. "One of them hit me with an odd spell, it looked violet-blue, but it triggered something inside me, at least that's what I think. Next thing I know I wake up and everything around me is charred black, my team is injured and I _thought_ the dark mages had fled. Turns out I killed them all..."

"You _killed_ them?" Laxus slightly gasps. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with that dense idiot?" A dry, humorless chuckle breaks pasts Natsu's lips as he hears this, and he closes his eyes for a second, feeling the cool breeze that signifies that night is on its way.

"Since I killed them and hurt my comrades, they kicked me out." He finishes, and a silence falls over the two of them.

"But you're back now." Natsu shakes his head at Laxus' statement.

"I came back to save Fairy Tail and redeem myself, I'm leaving after the Grand Magic Games."

"Grand Magic Games?"

"Oh yeah, you don't know about that!" Natsu gives a short chuckles at Laxus' confusion, before explaining just what the games are. As he does this, down below Macao walks up to the old members of 'Team Natsu', Romeo at his side.

"What's up?" Gray asks, turning to the pair.

"We've come to ask you a favor." The guild master says, catching the attention of some other guild members. But they stay silent as the conversations continues.

"What is it?" Lucy speaks up, giving him her full attention.

"Well..." Macao drags on, much to Erza's annouyance.

"Spit it out!" She slams her fist onto the table, effectively denting the fork she held, much to her displeasure. "Kinana? May I have another fork?" She asks, wanting a proper utensil to finish eating her strawberry cheesecake.

"We were wondering-well, the whole guild is wondering-if you'd help us get Natsu back into Fairy Tail." Nearly everyone goes silent at that, the entire guild having heard his request.

"And why should we do that?" Erza asks, narrowing her eyes at the older male.

"Because you're the only ones who can do it!" Romeo squeaks, pushing through his fear of Erza. "W-we figured out during your absence that he never killed anyone!" This shocks everyone that was on Tenrou, and makes Lucy crack a smile.

"He didn't?" The blonde speaks up, unable to hide the grin she wears.

"No, he didn't." Macao picks up after his son. "Grimoire Heart were the ones who killed them, they didn't want Natsu going to the S-Class trails. They shot a spell at Natsu and took his magic, knocking him out, before amplifying it and making it explode, seeming like he did it. While their Flame God Slayer burned and killed the dark guild members. I believe his name was... Zancrow."

"How did you learn all of this?" Makarov asks, putting himself into the conversation.

"About two years ago, two members who were once a part of Grimoire Heart, came with Jellal-"

"With Jellal, what do you mean?" Erza speaks up, confused on why Jellal would even be _out of jail._

"Well, during the seven years you were away, these two people broke Jellal out, and they made a independent guild known as _Crime Sorciere_. They destroy Dark guilds. Anyway, so they came one day and explained to us what had really happened that day all those years ago on that mission."

"Who were the members?" Gildarts speaks up, wondering which members of that dark guild were still alive.

"Ultear and Meredy."

"Ultear?" Gray speaks up, glad that she made it out alive.

"Meredy!?" Juvia squeaks in joy, remembering the friend she made that day years ago, not long ago to her. Macao nods, but Makarov breaks their moment of happiness.

"Does he know?"

"Natsu? No, he doesn't." Macao reveals, but quickly gives his reasons. "We wanted the right person to tell him. Because we knew that he'd still blame himself because he let the spell hit him, we needed someone that would be able to tell him, convince him and forgive him..."

"Like Team Natsu." They all realize everything he had said was correct, and nod in agreement. That was what Natsu would do.

"So, will you do it?" He looks towards them pleadingly, and before anyone can get the next word in, Lucy jumps to it with her fist raised and a smile touching her eyes.

"Of course!" She shouts out, the other three voice their agreement, albeit not with as much energy.

"Oh, and one more thing... In order to get him back, he needs you to accept him back into the guild." Macao says to Makarov. "I've tried a million times, but he won't even let me finish because he believes I have no right to, as in I wasn't the one who kicked him out so I can't bring him back. He needs you all to forgive and accept him back for him to join once again-" Just as he finished saying this, before Makarov can get a word in, the doors open revealing the two missing dragon slayers.

"So," Natsu speaks up,"who'll be in the games this year? Because I nominate the people who had been on Tenrou because they haven't been in it." Everyone stands frozen stiff, like a child caught taking a cookie from the cookie jar, and Laxus raises his brow at this while Natsu shakes his head slightly. "What'd I miss?"

"N-nothing really..." Macao tries to cover it up but fails and just slams his head onto the nearest table. _I stuttered..._ Natsu just gives a small laugh at that, before shaking his head and turning his attention to the rest of the guild.

"Fine, I'll leave it at that." He says, still wearing a grin, although not as warm as the one he was formally famous for. "Now, back to the Grand Magic Games. I honestly don't want to explain it twice, but basically they are new to you guys-" he points to the Tenrou Group,"and it's the thing that decides who's the strongest guild in all Fiore. Although..." He scans the small group,"if you guys want to be in it you have a lot of catching up to do."

"Catching up to-you think you're that much better than us, Flame Brain!" Gray shouts out in denial, standing and pointing a finger at the pinkette.

"He is..." Romeo whispers to him, making his brow twitch in anger. In a second he's on the table, preparing to run across it towards his old rival, only for an armored hand to latch onto his pants, making him fall off and smack his head into the ground.

"WHAT THE-" He shoots up, ready to start a brawl with the person, only to shrink down as he sees the red glare in Erza's eye. "Yes ma'am..." He concedes, letting Erza stand to face Natsu.

"I believe I misheard you." She says, standing parallel to the dragon slayer. "We have to _catch up?_ "

"No, you heard right." He admits, unfazed by her glare. "You've been sealed for seven years while the rest of the world has kept going. The only people who can still get by in this 'new world', as you may call it, would be Gramps, Gildarts, and maybe you, Laxus and Mira."

"Then let me prove you wrong, right here, right now." She re-quips her sword, and in an instant runes appear, crawling through the air completing a dome-shape, which Natsu steps through to join her in.

"Very well, then come." She blasts towards him. _I'll make this quick_ , she thinks, remembering the old Natsu. As she swings down, she finds nothing going according to plan. Soon she's struggling as she lays on the ground, darkness edging into her vision.

Everyone watches, those from Tenrou have their jaws dropped, Laxus and the others who could keep up with what just happened reviewing it in their minds. _He used her momentum, grabbed the back of her head at speeds she couldn't read, and slammed her face into the ground. With that much force, I'm surprised she's still conscious, although barely._

"Erza?" Lucy asks timidly, worried for her teammate, and completely shocked that she was brought down like that in one hit.

"Get up," Natsu commands, looking down at her,"you said you wanted to prove me wrong, so get up." With a tremble in her arms, she puts them under herself and begins to push up, only for a weight to be added onto her spine, the pressure to great for her weak limbs to hold and she falls back down.

"Flame Brain..." Gray grounds out, watching the dragon slayer step onto his friends back and push her back down. Erza grits her teeth and pushes herself back up once more, fighting against the voice in her head that says she lost.

"Come on," he speaks up again,"show me how wrong I am... or, accept my help." This shocks the Tenrou group, and she looks up at him, sending a glare that should be able to kill, but he just shrugs it off. "So, proud Titania, what'll it be?" She looks away, down to the floor below, rethinking everything that had just happened.

"I... will never give up!" As soon as she finishes the small phrase, the pressure on her back is lifted and she's almost thrown back onto her feet by a strong arm. She looks slightly shocked as she meets onyx eyes. Before she can say anything a sharp pain explodes in her face and she teeters on the edge of consciousness, Natsu pulling his head away after giving her a merciless headbutt. Some people from the Tenrou Group grit their teeth as he lets Erza go, and she falls limp on the ground. Lids half closed as she stares up at the pinkette almost lazily.

"Stop this match! He's won!" Makarov demands, seeing the state of one of his strongest mages.

"Ah... no can do, old man." Natsu replies, looking down at the scarlet mage. This makes Makarov look on in confusion. Sure, Natsu wasn't the most obedient child, but he listened when he knew he needed to, and never put one of his guildmates in such a state..."I think you're forgetting that you have no power over me." Natsu states, turning to the Third Guildmaster. "One: I'm no longer a guild member, and two: you're no longer the Guildmaster. So you have no power here, period." He looks back down to Erza,"Come on, Erza. You're stronger than this. I know you are." Below him she groans in pain, _**(I know what some of you were thinking, you pervs)**_ and he flips her over with his foot. "Well, Titania?" She glares up at him, and using her legendary speed, she re-quips a sword and slices towards Natsu with a precision people wouldn't normally have in her state.

"How _dare you talk back to master!_ " She howls, jumping onto her feet and launching at the pinkette. Putting on her Heaven's Wheel armor she attacks in a flurry of strikes, Natsu dodging each one, but a smile growing onto his face.

"Now _that's_ the Erza I know." Just after he says this, everyone freezes in shock as the ground is painted in red. Erza staring wide-eyed as blood drips along her blade and onto the floor. She's quick to pull the sword back, shocked that she had made contact. Looking at Natsu, she sees him wearing a smile even though she had just penetrated his shoulder with a blade. His palms cut where he had gripped the blade and blood spreading out, soaking his shirt around his right shoulder. "I believe that signify's the end of our little fight, don't you agree, Erza?" Natsu asks, acting as if he didn't have such a wound.

"Y-yeah," she stutters then coughs into her fist, regaining her composure,"yes."

"Now that that's over," he begins, clearing his throat,"you all-" he points to the Tenrou Group,"must realize your place by now. Erza is strong, no doubt about that. But her power from back then isn't enough, and all of you guys are the same. So, the only thing that can help you is by training." He concludes, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm willing to help in your training, but with some of your guys' pride issues, you probably won't accept me. Although, I'll give advise no matter what you say. You have three months to train, that is when the Diamontou Enbu will begin. Three months! Don't waste your time, because Fairy Tail has only not won ONE of the games, and that year they _decided_ not to compete." He then turns to Macao with sharp eyes,"Is it okay if the people who compete are those from Tenrou?" The Guildmaster gives a smile and a nod.

"Of course." With that, Natsu gives a resounding clap of his hands, and a toothy grin-although missing some of the warmth of his old one-and speaks up one last time.

"Then it's settled! If you need my help, which I doubt, I'll be there." And with that he, just turns and walks out of the guild hall. It takes everyone a moment to realize he had left, and in a moment Wendy is scurrying around, worrying about the injury he had just received.

"Oh, Wendy, you can stop worrying." Kinana tells the poor girl who had just walked back into the guild hall and slumped at the counter, unable to find and heal the pinkette. "Besides, it's impossible to find him."

"He's _bleeding!_ It's easier to find an injured person, and even with my nose I couldn't! I know I don't have the best sense of smell, but still... He just walked out like everything's fine! Am I the only one worried about him!?" She rants on, before a metal hand clamps down onto her shoulder.

"No, I am worried as well." Erza admits. "Team, assemble!" With that being said, Happy, Lucy and Gray walks up to her with confusion in her eyes, Happy giving an army salute. "We have a new mission which will start immediately!" Everyone is now watching the scene, wondering just what the red head will say. "It will be called; _Getting Team Natsu Back Together_ , our mission: getting Natsu to become a Fairy Tail member once again!" Everyone-not including some from the Tenrou Group-jump in joy at this. They had been trying for years to get him to become a Fairy Tail member once again, and knew if anyone could do it, Team Natsu could.

 **A/N: So obviously, if you didn't notice in the beginning of this chapter which is okay, Natsu and Laxus are gonna be getting closer in this fic. Similar experiences can bring people closer together. And they even have similar magic! Now go get Natsu, Team Natsu! *that's just weird to say... reminds me of another FanFic I'm gonna recommend later on...**

 **Pairings you can vote on:**

 ***NO PAIRING**

 ***Natsu x Ultear (NaUl)**

 ***Natsu x Meredy (I don't know the ship name...)**

 ***Natsu x Erza (NaZa)**

 ***Natsu x Mira (NaMi)**

 *** Gray x Lucy (GraLu)**

 *** Gray x Juvia (GruVia)**

 *** Loke x Lucy (LoLu)**

 *** Mira x Laxus (MirAxus)**

 **(Know that you** _ **can**_ **vote on more than one. Just not all Any other one's will be my choice)**

 **This weeks recommendation is a FanFic** _ **Shadowed Past**_ **by** _ **Akiko Natsuko**_ **, and I fucking love it. So much. It's completed and its sequel is** _ **Sunlit Future**_ **, in case you're interested. Go check it out! (It's also favorited-dur)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Let's Get Him Back!**

 **A/N: I just gotta put out there, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chap. So many people! Even if it might'v been only to vote, I still appreciate it! *I almost forgot to update, I'm sorry!***

As they go on like this, Makarov then goes up to Macao with a smile, one the younger male returns. Sitting beside the Guildmaster at the bar, Makarov orders a beer before getting down to business.

"About what you said earlier, with Natsu needing me to be the one to accept him back into the guild... I accept." Macao beams at this.

"Really!?"

"Really." Makarov echos, taking a gulp of his beer, before turning to the present Guildmaster. "Although, I'm wondering why you guys want Natsu back so badly?"

"We owe him that much, at least." The flare mage states, "He's been there for us through thick and thin. Funny thing is we pushed him away. Yet he'd come back every time we needed help. Took us forever to realize he really was sorry about what happened. I still remember that day well."

"That day?" Makarov echos as a question, and Macao nods.

"It was just another day...

 **_-_-Flash Back-_-_**

"So, I hear the famous 'Fairy Tail' is in need of some help." A few people said, walking into the guild hall just after a year after Tenrou had vanished.

"What do you need?" Macao speaks up, wondering what the new people want.

"Well, we were just gonna lend you some money, a loan, and you pay us back." The person explains. "We're from a new guild, known as 'Twilight Ogre'. We're new to Magnolia." The persons words were near promising. Fairy Tail was going down, and it had been roughly a year since the disappearance. The amount of jobs they had taken since then were below thirty, and the money they gave wasn't a lot. There was no one to do the S-Class missions, so they were even lower on popularity.

They were back on paying for the guild, and were in debt because of the guilds damages. They had never loathed Fairy Tail's destructivness more than at that moment. Macao looks around his guild members faces and see them looking to him. The best choice for the guild would have to be...

"We-"

"Hold on-!" Natsu walks in not a moment too late, interrupting the Guild Master and glaring at the foreign guild. "Who are you?"

"We're from the guild Twilight Ogre and-"

"Don't listen to whatever they say." Natsu turns to Macao, ignoring the rest of the sentence. Effectively pissing them off. "I've heard about this guild, and they aren't good. They pull people deeper in debt, and push them around." Macao gives the pinkette a small glare.

"Hey! Who're you? What are you doing interferring with business?!" The mages growl at Natsu, who just ignores them.

"And why should I trust you?" Macao continues his conversation with the former guild member.

"Hey!-"

"Would you rather take the risk?" The two males give each other a look before the flare mage looks to the mages of Twilight Ogre.

"I'm sorry to inform you that we will not take your offer." He says, formally and acting mature. "We will not be doing business with you, you may leave."

"How dare-you bastard!" They turn on Natsu and launch at him, which was not a wise thing to do. And in a second they are all beaten and thrown out the door, an easy task for the 'Salamander'.

 **_-_-END-_-_**

"That day we finally accepted his help, although not as much as we do now, it was an improvement."

"I see..." Makarov nods.

"And Natsu was right!" Macao smiles towards the old man,"I checked out Twilight Ogre later on and what Natsu had said about them was true. Imagine if he didn't come! We would've probably had to forfeit the guild hall and lived in a place not even comparable to this. Not only that, but we'd be one of the weakest guilds ever and poor without Natsu!"

"Don't you think you're giving him too much credit?"

"Not at all. He got us all to train, and get working. Even Nab started taking jobs! If he wasn't here, who knows where we'd be!" Makarov can't help but smile at this. How could he ever believe that if he kicked Natsu out he'd just leave. Of course not. Natsu was too loyal to Fairy Tail. He could never just walk away like that, especially not when Fairy Tail was in need.

"Hey, where's Uncle Natsu? He isn't here yet." Asuka asks, walking up to the two Guild Masters.

"No, he might'v left for the day." Macao answers, seeing that Makarov is totally lost, watching the small girl puff out her cheeks and cross her arms. She was just _sooooo cuuuuttte!_

"But he promised me a piggy-back ride!"

"I'll give you piggy-back ride!" Makarov is quick to volunteer, but she just gives him a look.

"But I want _Natsu_ to give me a piggy-back ride!" Upon being rejected the old man sulks, saddened that his 'grandchild' had said such a thing.

"Don't sweat it," Macao pats the old man on the back as Asuka walks away,"she loves him too much. And apparently he 'gives better piggy-back rides than daddy'. Her words exactly." This brightens his mood a little, and they continue their conversation for some time.

"So, what is Natsu to the guild now?" Macao sets his drink down, silent as he thinks on a way to answer the question.

"Well... he's undeniably the strongest person here. Although not a member of the guild."

"I know he's loved by everyone, that's plain to see." Macao nods at this.

"Definitely. He's still the life of the guild, although..." As the flare mage drones off, this just piques Makarovs interest.

"Although what?" WHen the old man asks this, Macao points at him with his pointer finger.

"Never. Get. Him. Mad." His face was dead serious as he said this. "You could say he's the new Erza. He's the strongest one here, something akin to the life of the guild, and the person who sets things straight. When he first came and we accepted him, we were near broke. He helped us out a bit because apparently he was _rich_."

"Rich? Natsu?" Macao nods at Makarovs shock.

"You'd think he'd spend it all on food and stuff, but think about it for a minute. When he was still a member he took high-class and high-paying jobs, only having to pay for food for himself and Happy. What would he need the rest of his share for? Apparently, he just saved it for emergencies."

"Why?"

"That's exactly what I asked him when he told me that, and you know what he said?" Makarov shakes his head, he had a guess, but that was all it was. "He said because he thought the guild was sure to run near broke one day because of his destruction, and he saved it in case the guilds money ran dry." Of all things, Makarov didn't think that'd be it. Natsu never seemed to care about the damages he'd make and their cost, but apparently he just knew he had it covered if worse came to worse. "He was smarter than we thought." Makarov just nods at that. Natsu was definitely smarter than they had gave him credit for.

"Wait... You said he was the new Erza. What do you mean by that exactly?" Makarov had to ask this. Natsu didn't seem like he'd ever become like Erza. He was too care-free and happy. But then again, that was before they kicked him out...

"Exactly as it sounds," Macao begins,"he's the new law enforcer. The guilds costs don't go too high because of it, and in-guild brawls don't get too far out of hand. But he's not as strict as she was."

"But still... Natsu?"

"Yep. So, why're you guys talking about me behind my back?" Both men jump at this, diving from their seats to the ground below. Natsu chuckles at this as he watches his elders jumps from him in shock. The pinkette's smile is still so warm, but his eyes... they don't shine the same way they did seven years ago.

"I don't see it..." Makarov grumbles to Macao before getting back up and onto his seat with a smile. He could never stop loving this boy, as a son, of course. So why did he kick him out? Why didn't they try to prove his innocence? Why did they just accept what they were told as the full truth and not look for more? Why?

"So, what's up?" He asks, hopping over the counter and ploping into the seat beside Macao, drink in hand.

"Nothing really." Macao states, Natsu gives him a look but shakes his head. Not buying it but leaving it alone.

"Where's Asuka?" He asks, and just as he says this he hears the small voice scream out:

"UNCLE NATSU!" She skips towards him, eyes wide as she looks up at him expectantly. "Piggy-back ride time?" He gives her a small, warm smile.

"Yeah, piggy-back ride time."

"Up!" She smiles, reaching her hands up as he stands, picking her up and setting her on her shoulders. "Where are we going this time?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me." He responds, much to Makarovs confusion.

"Hmm... Let's go to that one place! The forest!" She scrunches up her nose in an adorable way. "You know what I'm talking about!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know." With that he then turns to the two guild masters. "Do you want to see it?"

"Yeah, make it guild-wide." With Macao's consent, Natsu closes his eyes, a small amount of magic flaring around him, and when he opens them the guild looks... different. Asuka cheers from on top of his head, and the guild members smile as they see the change.

Makarov, as well as the rest of the Tenrou Group, look around with their jaws dropped.

The guild's interior was definitely not what the guild was supposed to look like. Large trees span out from where the guilds walls should be and off into the 'distance'. A soft, green mystical mist drifts around in small clouds. The trees seem taller than the guild, and they look gray-ish in color, with mossy green vines going down them like veins, also covering the floor. The floor has a thin layer of mist on it, the tables look like tree stumps, the bar a fallen tree. Chairs are mushrooms, and the only light is what seems to be glowing, floating bubbles drifting throughout this illusion. Looking around the people, it isn't hard to notice that even the members had been changed slightly. Each member had a few things: pointy ears, a tail, and _wings. WINGS!_ If anything they looked like dragonfly wings, somewhat matching their magic types. The only difference being Natsu and the other dragon slayers who have small horns the color of their element, and dragonic wings of that same shade, and a scaly tail to match.

"Whoo-hoo!" Asuka shouts from Natsus shoulders, and people turn to notice that she is slightly different from the rest. Her wings are beautiful, shimmering green butterfly wings. And she has a crown on the top of her head, showing that she's either queen or princess.

"What is this?" Makarov asks, looking at his own gray-gold wings on his back. They're rather droopy, much to his disappointment. When Natsu sees the old mans face, he can't help but laugh slightly. Much to Makarov's anger.

"When Natsu gives her piggy-back rides, he does illusions. This is one of Asuka's favorites." Wakaba, who found his way beside Macao, elaborates.

"So _this_ is why he gives the best piggy-back rides ever." Makarov says with a nod. He would have to admit, the illusion is top-class. Every time he moved the wings fluttered and the tail moved slightly. Everyone was having fun with that fact, it seems.

"What next, princess?" Natsu asks Asuka, both of them being the main attention of the guild.

"Up!" She points to the tree canopy, and Natsu smiles.

"Up it is." He then starts 'flying'. His wings flap and they go as high as the ceiling, and when Asuka touches the canopy, golden sparkles seem to rain down.

"Dance time!" She says, and Natsu takes her off of his shoulders as they drift back down. "No~! Natsu, dance with me, up here!" His eyes widen for a moment, before he stops his descent. Holding her at arms length, he spins through the air as if at a ball. The girl giggling all the way.

"You heard the girl!" Bisca takes her husband to the middle of the hall,"Dance time!" And soon the entire guild is dancing in the wonderful scene. Everyone smiling and enjoying their time. All worries forgotten. Everyone just living in the moment.

Natsu looks below him and Asuka to see just what was happening. And he couldn't stop a smirk from twitching onto his face. Everything was going according to plan.

You may ask just what this plan is. Well, ever since the Tenrou Group came back, they've been a bit... depressed. Missing seven years of their life, learning things that had happened. Jellal breaking out of jail, the marriage of Bisca and Alzack, the birth of their child. Everything about him. So, Natsu being Natsu, knew he needed to get them into a better mood.

And he knew how. With a nice illusion, the perfect things set in place, now all he needed to do was sit back and watch his work. And boy was it going well.

Erza's eye shined as she looked at her strawberry cheesecake. The illusion had turned everything into a fantasy-forestry type thing. Well, the desert looked absolutely _amazing_. As if pixie dust made it sparkle, the plate smooth and carved to look perfect. It looked better than ever. And she was _drooling_ after only _seeing_ it. And Natsu knew it would taste better than usual. Just for her.

Juvia looked like a water sprite in the illusion. A beauty, blue wings seeming to drip towards the ground like water. Gray's frozen over in a paler blue, spiking backwards in sharp ice shards. The two were naturally drawn towards each other. Dancing slowly, Juvia resting her head on his chest in complete bliss. Even Gray adorning a small blush. Natsu was sure to use that for blackmail later. Oh yeah.

Lucy was busy just watching the small ball. A content smile on her face as she saw a two people who would make the _perfect_ couple: Levy and Gajeel. No need to say, she was giddy with excitement at the scene. And she absolutely _loved_ her friends book-like wings. They were perfect for her! She had been bugging Levy about the man for quite some time. And thanks to Natsu's small illusion, they were slow-dancing with small balls of light floating around them. _Oh just how romantic!_

The thought makes the blond pause. It was _really_ romantic. Juvia and Gray, Levy and Gajeel, Laxus was even trying to bring Mira out from behind the bar! Lisanna was walking around, odd flower-cup in hand, watching the dancers with a sense of longing. This was so romantic it was cheesy. Looking up towards Natsu, she sees his smirk as he stares at the couples, realizing this is _exactly_ what he wanted! Everything was perfect for it! And man was it working! But she didn't have a partner. And neither did Lisanna, it seems.

Although her eyes kept flicking up to Natsu, it was just to see what would happen next. He was strictly her best friend. That was all there was between them. There _might_ have been something all those years ago, but it wasn't there anymore. It wasn't there even before that. Maybe for sometime, but he was now just her friend. And he knew it. She realized that was all he was to her, and he realized that was all she was to him. There was nothing between them, and there never would be.

As she looks at the beautiful scenery, she sees a light flash to her side, and turns to see a more lion-like Loke. He has a lion tail swishing behind him, as well as more prominent ears. His hand held out to her, offering to dance.

"Care to dance?"

"Yes-?" She places her hand in his and soon they're twirling around the room, making a box with their feet and so on. Enjoying the illusion to its fullest.

Natsu watches as the angelic-winged Lucy is now in the arms of the lion. He can't help but smile at the scene. He knew she had caught on, and could only feel pride at that. That she was a wise, young, fine woman. And his... friend.

Friend? Did he even deserve to call her a friend? After everything that happened...

Natsu looks to the doors with a sense of longing. He hadn't seen his 'dance partner' in quite some time, and was actually missing her presence.

 **A/N: As I made clear, this will** _ **not**_ **be a NaLu. And sorry if you don't like the fact that I put those main couples in there-GruVia, GaLe, MirAxus-I just wanted to. I began the scene and decided** _ **'Eh, why not'**_ **. Sorry to those of you who didn't want pairings!**

 **So, I'm guessing you guys are wondering:** _ **What was the vote?**_ **I'm gonna tell you. If you didn't notice the obvious pairings I put in here, here's what you guys voted:**

 **None= 10**

 **Natsu x Ultear= 17 ***

 **Natsu x Mira= 11**

 **Natsu x Meredy= 6**

 **Natsu x Erza= 9**

 **Gray x Juvia= 4 ***

 **Gray x Lucy= 3**

 **Loke x Lucy= 4 ***

 **Mira x Laxus= 1 ***

 **So, if you didn't notice, NaUl won for Natsu. As did GrUvia, LoLu and MirAxus *I know for Mira NaMi technically won (that got _a lot_ of votes, dang!), but since Natsu got Ultear, she gets Laxus***

 **Oh, and a lot of you wanted it to be a harem, no? Sorry but I'm not planning on doing that. I also saw a lot of people saying that they'd like Natsu to stay independent. I have already decided whether or not he'll rejoin. And what role he'll play in the story. That is all.**

 **My recommendation is: The Irregular at Magic High School. Also known as** _ **Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei.**_ **I like it. You'll like it. Go watch it. *your choice, of course***

 **On a side note, I saw _Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'_ on August 4, because that's when it came out in theaters where I'm at, and you have no idea how hyped I was to see it! If you're a DBZ hater, this doesn't affect you, don't spoil my 'hypedness'. \\(*v*)/ I also wanna put out there, that I have prepared for the case in which my computer crashes or something like that happens and I lose the stories on my computer, so they're saved in THREE other places. Three. So I shouldn't have that happen to me!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: You're with WHO!?**

 **A/N: I know I haven't upadted in forever, and I am sorry, but while trying to fix my writers block I thought of a better way to do both chapter five and six, so I fixed them up and lets hope my writers block will pack it's bags and go on a vacation!**

 ***It's much longer than normal but I mixed chapter five and six, so that's why, same as the end Author Notes**

After the dancing and the laughing, and the illusion itself, everyone passed out. Asuka, who fell asleep in Natsu's arms, was returned to her parents who went home for the night. Natsu himself left the guildhall soon afterwards.

The next day, everyone awoke in a mass of limbs, bodies, and broken pieces of wood. As usual for the Fairy Tail mages. Makarov began crying comically at the sight.

"The damages-the MONEY!" Erza is quick to apologize as Mira pities the old man. But a hand lands on the shorter mans shoulder and he turns to see a grinning flare mage.

"No need to worry about it." Macao comforts, and Makarov looks at him in complete shock.

"W-why?"

"The Grand Magic Games has a jewel reward; 30,000,000 jewels."

"3-3-30,000,000 JEWELS!?" Makarov shouts, money shining in his eyes. "We better win this year!" The old man jumps through the air. People laugh at the scene, but with good heart.

"Hey, Natsu," A girl with curly hazel hair forced into a high ponytail, speaks up.

"What is it, Namine?" The pinkette asks, shocking some people from suddenly appearing.

"Why don't you join the games this year." He gives her a wide-eyed 'what-did-you-say' look.

"That is... A GREAT IDEA!" Romeo shouts out in glee. "Join, just for the games if anything! Be a temporary member if you'd like! We should make one of the teams 'Team Natsu', like seven years ago! Everyone knows Team Natsu! You guys are legendary!-"

"Romeo," Natsu cuts the smaller boy off, "Namine, I thought I told you I am not joining."

"Please, be a temporary member for the games." Lucy speaks up, and this shuts Natsu's mouth. Lucy, of all people, Lucy spoke up. She was the one he hurt the most back then... "If you want, go away and leave forever after the games, no one will stop you. But join us one last time for them. Please, Natsu." He sighs, he couldn't do it, but how could he say no?

"I..." He stumbles, unsure how to respond. He knew his plans after the group came back or when the guild got back on its feet, but with Lucy asking he was getting pressured. Not only that but the majority of the guild is also yelling out, trying to change his mind. Suddenly the doors swing open and three shadowed figures are seen. This whole scene silences the majority of the guild, bringing their yells down to just a hum of noise.

"Hm..." The one in the middle leads the group into the center of the guild, where everyone can get a clear view of just who they are.

"Jellal..." Erza's eye widen as she sees the bluette. (Do I really have to describe what they're wearing? I mean, look it up if you really don't know. Although I am gonna touch up you-know-who's clothing).

"Meredy!" Juvia jumps, rushing to hug the pinkette. They embrace each other, smiling and the water girl is quick to go into a conversation about the seven years. Ultear stands to Jellals right, her black hair held out of her face by a white headband. She, unlike the other two, wears a cloak exactly like the one Natsu has, except her trim is white.

Under the cloak she wears a no-sleeve, skin-tight, deep purple shirt that has ruffles at the bottom, slightly covering her lower regions like a high skirt of sorts. Beneath that are dark-red tights which quickly disappear into a pair of black, thigh-high boots. Her forearms are covered in white wraps leaving her shoulder area open. Her left shoulder has Crime Sorciere's guild mark on it in a deep purple. The insignia you can only see because she has her cloak hooked around her neck, purposefully pushed back to expose her shoulders.

Many men in the guild are trying to touch Ultear, noses bleeding at the mere sight of her. She is undoubtedly a beautiful woman, with nice curves and a pretty face. Sharp eyes that seem to stare into your very soul. But of course no one got more than eye candy from her. Well, almost no one.

"Ultear?" Gray whispers with wide eyes as he sees his masters daughter. The three are quickly crowded by the Fairy Tail members much to the Tenrou groups shock.

"Ultear!" Her eyes flick to Natsu for a moment, and he flashes her his legendary grin, full of much more warmth than he had shown anyone else in the time that the Tenrou Group had come back. "Come on, Luce." Natsu says, "lets go join in. I know you don't know them that well, give it a shot."

"Aren't they wanted?" She asks, hesitant about going towards them.

"Not any more," Natsu explains, "they are an 'official' independent guild, and cleared of past crimes because they are helping the council." Lucy then smiles at this, although she had no real bonds with any of the three, she had known Jellal as an amnesiac good-turned-psycho, and Ultear and Meredy as ex-members of Grimoire Heart. But if Fairy Tail trusts them then she could learn to.

Now of course, with a crowd like this on you wouldn't just walk through. You'd push, shove, or force your way past the mass of bodies. But not Natsu. They let him get to the front, and he got there with ease, as did Lucy because she stayed so close behind him. When he finally got there, he and Jellal shared a moment where they locked eyes and nodded. Then Meredy was soon to get in the way of his path to Ultear.

"Hello, Natsu-san!" She says in a happy voice, but then leans up and whispers something into his ear. He listens to what she has to say, and when she moves away he gives a few quick nods.

"Of course, Meredy-chan." She then is dragged away by Juvia once more as the water girl introduces her to more people. Natsu sees Ultear stuck in a conversation with her brother of sorts, a soft smile on her lips as they speak of years missed.

"Sup, Gray." Natsu says, intruding on the ice mages' conversation, he walks up beside Ultear. Lucy decides to step back and converse with Jellal to see what they're all about, not wanting to get between Gray and Natsu. As expected, a tick mark appears on Gray's head as he crosses his arms.

"I'm in the middle of something here, Flame Brain."

"I see that." Natsu says while crossing his arms and side glancing Ultear.

"We have a lot of catching up to do." She elaborates, and Natsu gives her a pouty face.

"Hmm? You'd rather talk to him than me?" Natsu pouts, looking almost depressed as he hugs her from behind and rests his chin on her lower shoulder. The whole exchange shocks the people watching. Well, scratch that, the people from Tenrou. And Gray, with front-row seats, is completely frozen like his magic. Ultear didn't act like this, and Natsu was talking with her as if they were as close as you could get to someone. However Ultear doesn't react the way Gray expects and she simply chuckles at Natsu's actions.

"You're enjoying messing with him, aren't you?"

"Of course."

"What is going on?" Lucy whispers to Jellal, Mira sneaking her way up to them.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Mira turns her eyes to the time and fire mages, an evil glint in them.

"Ah, w-well..." Jellal stutters uncharacteristically. He can't stop a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. "They're-ahem." He coughs into his hand, clearing his throat.

"You couldn't have come at a better time," Natsu says into her ear, making her raise a brow.

"Why is that?"

"They were trying to get _me_ to join the games again!" He laughs for a small amount of time, but is slightly confused when Ultear remains silent. She then cranes her head and whispers something into his ear, something only the dragon slayers can hear. Laxus just smirks at her message, while Gajeel chuckles openly. Wendy slaps her palms against her cheeks, face quickly turning a bright red as steam comes out of her ears.

"Well, aren't you a sly one." He turns so they're practically breathing the same air before capturing her lips. Gray takes a step back at this as Ultear returns the action with equal fervor. Everyone just watches at their actions, cat whistles floating through the air.

"They're that." Jellal finishes, pointing at the two who are obviously together.

"Oh-ho _ho_!" Mira jumps in glee. "Although I am disappointed it's not you, Lucy." Mira sighs,"He still got a girl!" She smiles once more. Some of the men comically cry that Natsu had gotten such an amazing women, while Meredy just sighs and face-palms.

"He couldn't even go a minute staying off of her..." She sighs. When the two finally break apart, Natsu is wearing a satisfied smirk while Ultear wears her own, sharp eyes softly glaring up at him.

"... ... ..." The guild remains silent for a few seconds, and Natsu sighs during it, preparing for the reaction he knows will come. All they needed was for someone to break the tension.

"Get a room!" Aaaaand someone broke it.

"You're together?!"

"That dense idiot got a girlfriend?"

"How the hell-!?" Things went along these lines, as the two simply took it all in. Some people just stared in shock, frozen stiff like Gray.

"Wha-wha-wha-" Gray repeats like a broken record, unable to fully process what his eyes are showing him.

I've tamed the dragon." Ultear brags, wrapping her arms around Natsu's, pushing her breasts against him. He simply rolls his eyes at that, but doesn't brush her off.

"I don't think I wanna know what you mean by that." Gray admits with the shake of his head. This was definitely not the Ultear he knew. Nope.

"We know what she means." Some guild member chuckles, making Gray not-so happy.

"Natsu, are you treating her well?"

"What?" The pinkette finally brushes Ultear off to speak with Gray. Feeling insulted that he'd say that. "She's mine, of course I'd take care of her." Ultear just rolls her eyes at this, she could take care of herself, he knew that.

"Hehehe~" Off to the side, Mira stands next to Ultear with a mischievous grin. "He's rather possessive, isn't he."

"It's a dragon slayer thing, a dragon trait he inherited." Ultear explains, only slightly blushing. "To him, because we're together, you could say we're married on dragon terms."

"Oh? But is it just from being together? Or have you, ehe... you know." The whitette wiggles her eyebrows at the time mage, seeing her blush deepening. "I KNEW IT!" She shouts, breaking the two mages from their glaring at each other to look at her.

"Well, yeah, they've woo-hooed." Namine speaks as she enters the conversation. "They have Sonya, after all."

"Sonya?" Mira, Gray, Erza and Lucy echo in sync. Who's Sonya?

"Oh yeah, where is the little devil?" Natsu asks, looking lower and around.

"Don't worry, she's safe." Meredy assures, but that isn't what Natsu wanted to know.

"But where is she?"

"She was taking a nap when we left, and told her to use the transportation lacrima with a note for when she woke up." Ultear explains calmly, and Natsu's mood quickly drops.

"... ... ... What?" He grounds out, trying not to get too mad at his 'mate', but when it came to Sonya...

"Don't worry though!" Meredy jumps in, not wanting to see the two get into a fight. "I'm connected through her with maguilty sense, so no need to worry!" She says frantically, showing her glowing pink wrist to try and calm the dragon. He gives her a look that tells he isn't convinced. Natsu doesn't have the time to get angry as he sees the curious glimmering eyes of Mira, with Lucy and Wendy at her back.

"Who's Sonya?" Mira asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

"She's what _truly_ tamed the dragon." Macao says, making others slightly confused. Is Sonya another girl? Is Ultear honestly okay with that?

"I think they're getting the wrong idea," Ultear says while shaking her head, "she's our-" she's interrupted bu a dim glow coming from an unseen pocket in her cloak. She takes it out to show a shimmering blue lacrima, "There she is now." Ultear laughs lightly before setting the blue item on the ground. A blinding bright blue shine flashes through the guild, making everyone close their eyes. When it fades away, they see a small girl looking up at them.

She has what seems to be untameable dark purple hair, forced into a ponytail, some strands arching over her forehead. Sharp dark eyes which still hold an innocence surrounded by her semi-tan skin.

"Hello!" She smiles up at them with a very, very familiar toothy grin. She looks to see Lucy, Mira and Wendy staring at her. "Who are you? I don't know you."

"Aww, and who are you!" Mira coos, already wrapped around the cuties finger. Who wouldn't be?

"I asked you first!" The purple-haired child puffs her cheeks out in an adorable glare of sorts.

"They're members of Fairy Tail, the one's we told you about before, remember?" Ultear answers the small one, wearing a warm smile.

"Oh! You mean daddy's friends?" She looks at the new people who give her curious looks. They're her fathers friends? "But I thought you said they were dead?"

"Well, apparently they aren't, so go and introduce yourself." Ultear pushes her on, and the small girl gladly races over to the new people.

"Hello~! I'm Sonya!" She gives a small salute. "I am five years old!" she says holding up her hand and spreading ll her fingers to show five. ***A/N: I dunno if this is correct off of what I said in the earlier part of my story, but whatever, deal wit it***

"You're. So. CUTE!" The girls cheer, scooping her into their arms.

"Adorable!"

"She's so tiny!"

"Say, who're your parents, little one?" Lucy asks as they ogle over her.

"Over there." She points to the small circle of people.

"Hm?" Mira's eyes land on Natsu and Ultear, before they bulge out.

"W-what're their names?" Wendy stutters in denial.

"Papa-Natsu and Mama-Ulta-tei... Mama-Ul!" She gives up on Ultears name and sticks with 'Ul', but the reaction is priceless.

"WHAT!?"

The Tenrou Group is completely shocked by this new development. Some worried about how Natsu may have raised the child, others confused on how _Ultear_ and _Natsu_ got together in the first place. Gray was perhaps the most shocked of all. The daughter of his beloved teacher had gotten together with his probably-no-longer rival. Never had he even imagined Natsu would even _get_ a child, let alone with _Ultear_!

"And... she's not adopted?" Wendy dares to ask, still somewhat in denial.

"Haha, of course not, Sky Maiden-chan." Ultear chuckles, patting the small girl on the head.

Gray turns to Natsu, analyzing his every detail. His clothing, attitude, face, seeing a flash of his old self, smile and all. _No..._ He shakes his head, then looks to see who's in front of him now. _I can't think that way. What's done is done._

Romeo's eyes then flash deviously as he can't help but chuckle slightly. He has a _great_ plan, and he knew it would work.

"Soooo Natsu, what do you say about joining the games?"

"I already told you-" Natsu freezes when Ultear shoots him an icy glare, but his daughter then walks up to Romeo.

"What games?"

"You know," Romeo continues, acting as if he didn't know Sonya would ask that, "the Grand Magic Games." Sonya's eyes then sparkle and she turns to her father with clasped hands.

"DADDY! You have to-have to-HAVE TO join!" She begs while jumping on the balls of her feet. "Come on! Maybe it'll give you a challenge cause people never ask to fight you, least not anymore. Right, Daddy?" He just nods in reply, not able to respond as his daughter keeps going. "If you join the games you might actually get a challenge! Plus, Mama-Ul said she'd join if you joined, isn't that right Mommy?"

"Yes it is darling."

"Yes! So you have to join!"

"Now Sonya-"

"It's not a choice anymore, _Natsu_." Ultear says with a fake smile, but the aura behind her suggests otherwise. This makes Natsu sigh as he looks between his mate and his daughter.

"Alright, alright!" He raises his hands in defeat, making his daughter jump in glee. Natsu can't help himself as he scoops up his adorable daughter who he just can't say no to.

"FINALLY!" He shouts in joy before scanning the guild then turning back to her father. "As a warm-up you should fight Ice-man!" She says while pointing to a confused Gray. He hadn't shown her his magic, nor had anyone probably told her who he was. How did she know he used ice?

"Ice-man?" Gray echos and Ultear takes up to explaining.

"She's a bright girl, and although we don't know what magic she'll inherit, she can easily figure out what other people's magic types are." Ultear shrugs. "She's had it for about a year now."

"That's... interesting." Makarov strokes his chin. He had never heard of a case like this before, and it definitely piqued his interest. "How many people know of her 'ability'?" Natsu takes it upon himself to answer the old mans question.

"Not many. There's Fairy Tail, well, everyone in this room, and a few other trusted people. As well as Porlyusica. We want to keep it hidden, don't want anyone after her." Makarov nods in approval, he would have done the same if he was in Natsu's shoes.

"Hey." Sonya bonks her fist on her fathers head to get his attention once more. "Why won't you fight ice-man?" She continues to pester him.

"My name is Gray."

"Why won't you fight Gray; The ice-man?" Sonya 'fixes' her sentence, and Gray just drops the small issue of not being called his name. He _has_ been called worse.

"You know, I used to always call him 'Ice-Princess'." Natsu says with a mischievous smirk, while Ultear just shakes her head.

"Ice... Princess?"

"Yep."

"Okay... that's just weird." Sonya blanks, and Natsu just laughs at this, gaining a glare from the small girl.

"Do you _really_ want me to fight ice-princess?"

"Yes!" She exclaims.

"And why is that?" He questions, and she gains a thoughtful, and adorable, look. Before looking into her fathers eyes wearing a grin.

"Cause I know you haven't fought in a while, and nobody challenges you anymore and you _love_ to fight!" She answers, and Natsu couldn't argue with her.

"Hehe, she showed you." Someone says, making Natsu roll his eyes.

"She's a bit _too_ smart if you ask me." Natsu mumbles, but gives her a loving smile. "Oh fine, I'll fight stripper."

"Stripper?" She echos, and a pregnant silence fills the room as Natsu blanks and Ultear face-palms. That had just slipped out of his mouth, and he definitely didn't want is five-year-old daughter saying such things. He hadn't spoken of the ice mage in that way in a long time. Too long, in fact. Natsu sighs and sets his daughter on the ground after seeing the look Ultear gives him.

"So, are you Ice Princess or Stripper?" Sonya asks innocently, and Gray grumbles at that.

"Neither! I'm Gray!" The ice mage argues, and Sonya glares up at him.

"You're annoying!"

"Jeez-you're annoying!" This makes people laugh at the childish Gray, but then everyone-especially the guys-freeze. Sonya's leg extends and her face showing obvious anger. Retreating her leg, Gray covers his lower regions before falling to his knees, all guys looking at him in pity while the majority of the woman laugh. "S-she has your strength..." Gray releases his last breath and falls to the ground. _***Credit to Guest for that idea, had to do it***_

"Poor guy..." Ultear looks down in what could be mistaken as mock worry, scooping up her child.

"I have to take responsibility for that, don't I." Everyone nods at this, and the pinkette slings Gray over his shoulder before heading towards the infirmary.

"Poor guy..."

"... She has a short temper, doesn't she." Lucy sighs, as that reminds her of a certain red-head.

"Oh yeah." Macao nods. "And as Gray said, she has Natsu's inhumane strength. Not a good combination..."

"She'll be a strong woman one day." Erza says with a proud smile. "Especially with who her parents are." Ultear smiles at that, and nods.

"Although, I am worried..." Ultear's brows crease slightly, getting some peoples attention. "Natsu and I are well-known in our own right, and we've made plenty of enemies. Sonya is a secret few people know. And we want to keep it that way until she at least gets her magic."

"But what if she never does?" Levy asks, and Ultear turns to the girl.

"That's something we're still discussing." Natsu says, back from his trip to the infirmary. "Although we're pretty sure she will have magic."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised considering how powerful you two are." Meredy says with a slight grin.

"But I still am worried that if she doesn't get her magic and-"

"Ul-dear, it's alright." Natsu then hugs his wife, "I told you that I'd protect her no matter what, and I'm sure many others would say the same thing."

"That's _what_ I'm worried about though." Ultear admits and Natsu releases her to show a face of confusion. "If she doesn't earn magic eventually the world will learn about her-about us. And you'll protect her no matter what, and what then? Whatever happens you'll put her above all else and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I would never leave you guys," Natsu states with a stern expression, "because you don't die for your friends, you live for them. Isn't that right, Erza?" The scarlet haired mage is shocked as Natsu turns to her but as the question registers she then gains a warm smile and nods.

"A lesson you taught me yourself."

"Are we talking about Papa-Natsu possibly dying?" Sonya asks innocently but her eyes shine. "C-cause I don't want Papa-Natsu to die. B-because then what about us finding Igneel together o-or-"

"Oh my little dragoness," Natsu kneels down and envelopes her in a hug, guilty that he had made his daughter worry, "I won't go down so quickly."

"Y-you promise?"

"I promise."

"YAY!" She hops out of his grasp with a smile, her previous sadness completely erased. "You promised so now you can't break it!" She says before racing off and hiding in the large group making everyone laugh at her antics.

"Seems she knows how to get what she wants, got you wrapped around her finger."

"Ne, Daddy?" Sonya asks with a face of confusion, "Where's Asuka?" Natsu then looks around for the girls parents, coming with a blank.

"I... don't know." The family always seemed to come early so they should be there.

"Ahem-Natsu?" Jellal coughs into his fist, but as soon as the pinkette sees the others expression he knew something was up. "I wanted to let you have some fun for a little bit, but..."

"But?" He turns his entire body to face the Crime Sorciere member, face serious.

"We discovered something that we need you to check out." Natsu pauses, thoughts racing through his mind, and Ultear gives him a worried look.

"What is it?"

"Something in dragon language." Meredy elaborates, pulling out a lacrima. "We took a picture of it on this, but it's really large. A cave of sorts with writings all over the walls, all in dragon language." She activates the lacrima and it shows the image of the cave, odd writings a pictures all over the walls. But only two words catches Natsu's attention.

"Heh-where is this?" He asks Jellal.

"We stumbled upon it, but it's near some volcano."

"Well, hate to break it to you Jellal, but this isn't some world-changing discovery like you may want it to be." Natsu chuckles lightly, and Jellal just looks at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"That's the cave Igneel raised me in. There it says 'Natsu'-" he points to something written in the picture, then moves to the words written next to it,"and that says 'Igneel'." The members of Crime Sorciere just look at each other for a moment before Jellal sulks in a corner of the guild, shocking many people.

"What..."

"He gets like that." Ultear whispers to the shocked Erza. "Leave him be." The scarlet mage just nods, not sure what to say exactly.

"And we thought we actually found something helpful..." Meredy pouts, Natsu just giving her a pat on the head.

"I never told me you had to help me with finding Igneel, so stop stressing over it."

"No can do, we owe too much to you." Jellal says, suddenly between both pinkettes more to the side. "Plus, even if you didn't ask, Sonya did."

"Seems I'm not the only one completely under her will." Natsu chuckles before looking down to the small child tugging at his pant leg.

"Ne, Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Where is Asuka?" Natsu sighs at his daughters repeated question.

"I don't know sweety." She frowns cutely at this, puffing out her cheeks, eyes slightly crossed in thought.

"Then where's Auntie Bisca?"

"Probably with Asuka."

"And Uncle Alzack?"

"With Bisca _and_ Asuka."

"Then where-"

"Darling..." Ultear says, scooping up Sonya before Natsu got too irritated. Just because she is the most adorable and lovable thing in existence doesn't mean she can't get annoying sometimes. "How about you go search for them?" Natsu nods at this, before briskly heading towards the door. He couldn't say he wasn't worried, the family of three was _always_ at the guild early... _after_ Asuka got past her wake-parents-up-every-time-they-fall-asleep faze. Natsu understood their grumpiness during that time well, especially with Ultear, his extremely powerful wife, being on edge everyday. Even Alzack gave the pinkette pity.

Natsu shakes his head, stuffs his hands in his cloaks pockets and walks down the street to the Connel's home, he had to start somewhere.

Back at the guild, Team Natsu sulks at the fact that they had ruined the easiest chance to confront the pinkette.

"He's there one second and gone the next!" Lucy complains, resting her forehead on the table.

"And he didn't even say goodbye, he needs to learn some manners!..." Erza begins, face shadowed slightly in rage, scaring all close to her. Then she sighs and droops her head slightly, "But it seems that he has grown over these past years, and has finally surpassed me... I'd expect no less from him. Although I wish I had been there to see it..." She solemnly takes a bite of her cake, Gray caught off-guard by her out of character response.

"Well I ain't backing out yet! I'll beat him, I swear it!" Gray pumps his fist in the air, ready for the challenge to come, but then he slumps down in defeat. "... but how? If you couldn't beat him, and that took him at most seven years to reach that level..."

"Prove yourself in the Grand Magic Games if you can't truly beat him yet." Erza answers, and he looks up to see her intense stare. "All Fiore will see you, us, prove ourselves. Show that were back and as powerful as ever." Her eyes flash as her competitive spark shows. "Lets beat everyone and show them who's number one."

"But we're _already_ number one-" Lucy shuts up as soon as the scarlet mage looks her way, afraid of what would happen is she continued.

" _Fairy Tail_ is number one, the Fairy Tail that we left for seven years. _We_ , on the other hand, to all Fiore and everyone else, are simply new to the game, literally in the sense of the GMG's. _We_ need to show them all who we are, and that we aren't as weak as they may think us to be. Our entire team will go and we'll prove ourselves." Erza states with a nod, crossing her arms.

"For Fairy Tail!" Lucy says, her smile glowing, easily making Gray and Erza follow in suit.

"For Fairy Tail."

"For Natsu?" Happy adds in more as a question than exclamation.

"Hai, for Natsu."

Back with Natsu, he just came up to Bisca and Alzacks home, already having knocked on the door a few times. He can hear the rustling of something going on inside, and takes a deep whiff, catching onto a scent he hadn't smelled before near their house. Knocking on the door again he hears a distinct sound that makes his brows crease in confusion. He had definitely _never_ heard that in their house before.

" _Who is it?_ " Asuka's, albeit muffled, voice comes from behind the door.

"A big mean fire dragon." Natsu responds, waiting for what she'll say.

" _I don't think I can let big mean fire dragons in._ "

"Well how about a big, _nice_ , fire dragon?"

" _I have to ask mommy._ " Natsu nods and leans on the wall beside the door, he could wait. He had learned to be patient over the years, something he's sure the Tenrou group wouldn't believe. But then again, he still couldn't believe they were back, even after interacting with them and, hell, even after fighting Erza.

He catches onto the sound of louder footsteps coming to the door and stands in front of it. When it opens he sees Bisca's green hair and worried eyes.

"Is something wrong?" Natsu questions, brows creasing in worry. But before he can get another word out, the well-known gun mage flashes her hand out, grabs his clothes, and yanks him inside.

After a moment the pinkette refocuses, eyes having been temporarily blinded by the change in light, before spotting something new to the home.

Only to get caught off-guard and tackled into the door by said thing.

"Oh, sorry Uncle Natsu!" Asuka frets over him, he mumbles that it's okay, not taking his eyes off of the new entity.

"Well, what do you think?" Alzack asks, semi-worried.

 **Wolves S. Wind (WW): Hey! This weeks recommendation is Modern Age by hidaruma. Although it is on hiatus, it is a Fairy Tail/Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei and I really liked it. Who knows if the author will continue it, but whether or not a story is completed, it can still be a good story. (Although it can't be perfected, because the ending also matters, it can still be good.) Go check it out if you like(d) Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei (The Irregular at Magic High School)! One of the main reasons I had made Sonya 5, is because I have a younger sister that's five so I know what a girl that age may act like. Of course my youngest sister is absolutely nuts, crazy, and not-as-spoiled-as-my-other-sister-but-still spoiled.**

 **My Natsu (MyN): ... Am I even needed here?**

 **WW: No. Not really.**

 **MyN: ... ... ...**

 **Sonya: Don't worry daddy, I still love you!**

 **MyN: I know, my little Dragoness.**

 **WW: Fine, I'll let you do the most important part.**

 **Sonya: It's the most important part, you just gotta do it, Daddy!**

 **MyN: Okay, sweety.**

 **WW: Hurry up.**

 **MyN: Til-**

 **WW: TIL NEXT TIME, SEE YA!**

 **MyN: ... You jerk.**

 **Sonya: Daddy, that's not a very nice word!**

 **WW: Whatcha mean? *puppy dog face***

 **MyN: What ever.**

 **WW: You're daughter is adorable and** _ **devious**_ **!**

 **MyN: She really is my daughter...**

 **Ultear: Hahaha, yes she is!**

 **MyN: Jeez...**

 **WW: The struggles of children.**

 **MyN: How would you know!**

 **WW: I got sisters.**

 **MyN: Not the same.**

 **WW: Well, I sorta understand.**

 **MyN: ...**

 **Ultear: Give her a break, Natsu.**

 **MyN: *Grumbles***

 **WW: Tee-hee! Thanks for all reviews, follows, favorites, kudos to you guys! Til-**

 **Sonya: (screams) TIL NEXT TIME SEE YA!**

 **WW: KAWAII!**

 *****An additional recommendation for who knows how long is the manga/anime in _One-Punch Man_ , I read it and died, for some reason it sorta reminds me of _Gintama_ which if I haven't recommended already I'll be surprised because I LOVE IT! So yeah, sorry for not uploading in forever my faithful readers I am terribly sorry!**


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